20
IRELAND
“That young man has eyes for you,” Dad said conversationally.
He was having a good day. A really good day, if he was fishing like this.
It was the best gift.
“He’s just nice, Dad,” I said.
He narrowed his eyes and harrumphed. “I don’t trust nice.”
I snorted, changing the subject. “How’s Mr. Smith?”
“Who?” he asked, not bothering to look up from his art.
“Wilbur,” I said.
“Oh, Willie. Not much of a talker.” He stopped whatever shading he was attempting on the napkin, cursing viciously when his crayon ripped through it. I subtly pulled out my phone and made a note to get a small notebook for him to bring to meals now that he was eating down here more often than not.
Dad paused, frowning as he looked over at me. “He wasn’t feeling well this morning.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said.
When he went back to his napkin, my gaze traveled to the cafeteria line. I was bracing myself for when everyone would be back. The guy glued to Liem’s side must be Cody. I cringed internally just thinking of that moment of understanding and realization—that we’d spoken before—that would go down whenever he got back to the table.
“He was sad to miss your birthday lunch too.”
I glanced sharply at him. He hadn’t said a word about my birthday since the incident here, and I hadn’t planned to bring it up.
“Is this seat taken?” Ari asked Dad, who surprisingly looked away from his napkin.
“It’s not,” I answered for him, once it was clear that he wasn’t going to.
As Ari smiled and sat down with her plate, Dad tracked her movement. “You must be Ireland’s father. Beck, is it?”
“Yes, ah…. Yes,” Dad said, seeming flustered as Ari introduced herself.
“Now, tell me, Beck,” she said seriously, “what do you think of the art here at Live Oak?”
“Soulless,” Dad answered immediately. “Positively soulless.”
She hummed. “I think I agree. It could use some sprucing.”
Cody and Liem returned next. Cody was carrying both their trays, and they sat across from us. I shouldn’t have worried about facing him, I realized, as Cody slung his arm over the back of Liem’s chair and nodded to me. “Ireland.”
“Cody,” I said, nodding back.
And that was that.
Everyone dug in to their meals without further ado,and I cast my gaze around at all the people gathered at the table.
When was the last time I’d shared a meal with someone besides Dad?
Liem leaned forward to get a look at Dad’s napkin art, which Dad ignored. After a few seconds, Liem sat back in his chair and leveled an exaggerated pout in my direction.
A few seconds later, he gave me a pointed look just as my phone beeped. I opened the new message under the table, like a kid hiding their phone in school.
